I set off from Gondor steadily, the plan was to go to the Mines of Moria in about a week or so. Part of me wanted to race there, but I'd already seen what happens when I rush headfirst into things, so I figured I'd take it day by day. The weather didn't bother me, and I was glad to be wearing my firekeeper set.
Most of the ride was quiet. I let Sienna graze, mostly because it was simpler than dealing with stable fees and I enjoyed camping more than being in the towns.
Halfway there, Aruzhan's voice nudged my thoughts. Are you sure we need that Balrog body?
I felt her amusement simmer in the back of my mind, like a smug sibling ready to scold me. Yes, I'm sure, I answered silently. "I have something planned just trust me." She didn't comment further, but I could practically feel her rolling her eyes at me.
I tried not to dwell too long on the reasons for wanting the Balrog's corpse. But it was my idea to begin with, and I wasn't turning back now. If I could manage this, maybe it'd be a step closer to… well, a bunch of crazy goals. That's future me's headache.
The days blurred together. Camp, wake up, eat something from my supplies, keep moving though it did seem that Snuffles was eating some of the food too. I let him out and to follow me, as I rode, he even hunted a deer which we shared that night. Sometimes I'd talk to Aruzhan. Sometimes I just thought about Arnovia. My heart twisted whenever I pictured her. what if she'd given up on me? It'd been over a year since I vanished, and to be fair people probably thought I was dead. Not like I could blame her or them.
Eventually, Misty Mountains came into view, and I knew I was nearing my destination. I kept my eyes peeled for signs of orcs, but there was no point retracing my old route through Moria. I got off Sienna and stored her in my mind scape.
Somewhere along the trek up the mountainside, I felt my eyes prickle, My vision sharpened. Relax, I told myself. I'm alone. But it never hurts to be prepared, so I let my irises flare to a bright blue. The cold wind battered me, but it felt like a gentle breeze against my skin. Being a snow elf has its perks.
At one point, I nearly tripped over a weird glow on the ground. It looked like a patch of luminescent footprints, no, more like a glowing arrow. My immediate thought was that maybe some magical graffiti was messing with me. but that's not possible in this world. Then I realized it had the same faint shimmer as the interface from my system. A new feature? I smirked, tapping my foot on the little glimmer. Guess we've got waypoints now, I thought.
Aruzhan chided me from somewhere in my skull. Luckily you don't have to wander aimlessly.
Hey, I'd find it eventually, I shot back. But yeah, I'm not complaining.
The waypoint trail snaked upward, leading toward the higher peaks. I followed it with a kind of cautious excitement. Days passed in a blur of rocky slopes and steep climbs, with occasional ledges to rest on. I'd chew on dried meat or some bread, letting Sienna and Snuffles out of the mindscape to keep them from going stir-crazy before sending them back in after an hour. The air got thinner as I ascended, but again, being who I am, it didn't bother me much. I actually kind of enjoyed it.
Sometimes, my thoughts drifted to Arnovia. Would she be waiting? Had she moved on? I pictured her, warm smile, sly sense of humor, that habit of calling me out whenever I said something perverted. It'd been so long. Part of me wanted to scream. Another part just hoped she was okay. Surviving a Daedric realm is no joke, especially the one belonging to the Prince of Madness.
We'll find her, Aruzhan said softly in my head, like she caught the tail end of my worry. And if she's moved on… we'll deal with it.
I sighed aloud, trudging over a patch of rough ice. Deal with it? Easy for you to say, Ms. Princess.
She made a noncommittal hum. I get it. I just don't want you losing hope.
I let that hang in the air. She had a point, hope was all I had sometimes, especially after cheating death so many times. If I couldn't hang onto that, I might as well crawl into a cave and stay there.
On the last stretch of the journey, the incline grew ridiculously steep. Without the system's glowing path, I'd have been cursing every rock I slipped on. Once or twice, I almost used Elder Blood to warp across tricky gaps, but decided to save that energy in case I needed it more urgently. No sense in wearing myself down for a simple climb.
Eventually, I found a plateau near the mountaintop, the air crisp and quiet. The view stretched for miles, with white peaks, and rolling clouds. It was breathtaking, sure, but I had a mission. My eyes scanned the rocky outcroppings, trying to catch a hint of what I'd come for. I spotted a gash in the mountain's side, like something huge had torn its way across the stone. Could be a clue.
I let out a breath and rubbed my gloved hands together, more out of habit than necessity. Almost there, I told Aruzhan and myself.
Let's hope it's not too messed up, she replied, a bit of wry humor in her voice. Though it's a dead Balrog. How pristine can it be?
I snorted. Fair point.
My footsteps crunched over ice and loose gravel as I made my way toward that battered stretch of rock. Every once in a while, I glanced up at the sky, half-expecting a random eagle or something. The silence was comforting, though. No orcs, no wraith-lord trying to kill me. Just me, the mountain, and a faint glow on the ground guiding me forward. I welcomed the solitude, especially after so much chaos of this year.
I took one last swig from my waterskin full of ale before stowing it. I'd be near the peak soon, and that's where I figured I'd find the Balrog's remains. Part of me wondered if the body would be stone by now, or if it'd be half-buried in snow. Gods, I hope it's not a shriveled husk, I thought, already imagining how gross it might be to store.
Just don't slip and roll off the mountain, Aruzhan teased, which earned a sarcastic laugh from me.
"I'll try," I muttered aloud, picking my way over a tricky ledge.
One more push, one more rocky slope, and then I'd see what waited at the top. The wind picked up, but it felt more like a gentle push on my back than a hindrance. My eyes glowed faintly, giving me a razor-sharp view of every crack in the rock face. Step by careful step, I climbed, this was the final stretch. And once I got that body, I could finally, finally, start figuring out my next move. Home beckoned. Tamriel, Arnovia, all the unfinished business. The thought made my stomach clench. But first things first.
I took another careful step, then another until the path leveled out beneath my boots. Zirakzigil, the Gandalf called it. The vantage was incredible, the wind roaring in my ears as I stepped onto the plateau at last. My chest felt tight with equal parts awe and tension.
You're stalling, she pointed out once when I lingered on a plateau, staring at some distant cloud bank. You're scared about going home.
I made a face, even though no one could see it. "Of course I am. Arnovia's probably either pissed or heartbroken, or both. And then there's her sister… Well, that's a fight waiting to happen."
You won't know until you try.
I huffed. "Yeah, yeah. Let me procrastinate in peace. It's not like a demi god that is known to hunt down elves is waiting at home."
It sprawled across the stone like a giant, twisted shadow. From this distance, the corpse looked more like a mound of weirdly shaped boulders. But I recognized the charred wings, the massive horns, and the faint stench of sulfur that clung to its remains. I didn't move for a full minute, just stared at the Balrog's body.
So that's it, Aruzhan's voice whispered in my mind. All this trouble for a hunk of demon-flesh.
"Yup." I exhaled slowly, letting the cold air sting my lungs. "We found it."
I stood over the Balrog's massive form, taking in the twisted sprawl of wings and charred flesh. Storing it was surprisingly straightforward once I got close, even though the thing had to weigh an insane amount. A brief swirl of energy, courtesy of my upgraded storage system, and the corpse disappeared. Just like that. All that effort to haul myself up this mountain, finished in a heartbeat.
Aruzhan's voice nudged me in the back of my mind: So, now that you've collected your prize, what are you planning to do with it?
I looked around, making sure there were no hidden onlookers. "Well," I said, keeping my voice low even though no one was around, "I've got a theory. In Tamriel, we're allowed to create our own spells if we've got the know-how. Most folks just remix existing ones. But I had a high elf teacher back in the Mage's Guild who said, in theory, you could do almost anything if you understood the principles deeply enough. That includes fusing magical beings with conjuration. Admittedly, he didn't have something like this in mind."
Aruzhan made a small mental sound between disbelief and concern. You're serious, aren't you?
I lifted my hand and let a few snowflakes swirl around my fingertips. This was just a simple trick I'd whipped up ages ago, half frost, half illusions of white petals. Nothing complicated, but it reminded me of how spell creation worked: start with a concept, merge it with an existing framework, push it until it's something new. If I pulled that off with something as powerful as a Balrog… well, the result could be spectacularly useful, or spectacularly disastrous.
My gaze drifted to the spot where I'd just stored the corpse. "I'm thinking," I said, "that if I can fuse parts of the Balrog's essence with a flame atronach summoning, I'd get a brand-new type of daedra. The big question is how to do it without blowing myself up. I'll probably need a real conjuration master to keep me from melting half my face off."
Speaking of your… urges, Aruzhan cut in, sounding wary. Are you planning to make this creation… you know… sexual?
I chuckled. "Why would you— Wait, never mind." Couldn't deny that I'd done weirder things with spells, especially if they involved illusions or fancy magic that teased temperature changes, but that was definitely not top priority here. "I mean, maybe eventually," I added, clearing my throat. "But for now, let's just see if it's possible to create a stable entity."
And the Taboo Collector ability?
I frowned, recalling the random trait I'd picked up in one of those goddess's 'wish' situations. "Right," I said, flexing my fingers. "It lets me gather, uh, unique samples from creatures, hearts, blood, that kind of thing, then store them to gain some aspect of their power. I've basically never used it. Maybe it's time to start. Balrogs are basically corrupted Maiar, right? If I can harness that somehow..."
That is quite the gamble. Aruzhan's tone hovered between disapproval and a kind of reluctant fascination. But you do love your gambles. Just keep our main Virginity alright, that one can only be used once we marry someone.
"Yep," I said simply, brushing off a thin layer of ash that clung to my robe. "And it's not like I'll do it right here. I'll keep the body in my storage, figure out how to break down what I need, and set up a ritual once I'm back in Tamriel. My mindscape might be a small plane of Oblivion now or at least acts like one, so I can stash the new creation there if everything goes right. Possibly keep it as a summon."
I gave the mountain peak one last look. Snow whipped around me, reminding me of the cold ranges in Skyrim. Then I flicked my fingers, tapping into my Elder Blood. Red smoke curled around my arms, thickening into swirling wisps that clung to my torso. I exhaled, closed my eyes, and let the spell sweep me away. One moment I was standing on Zirakzigil, the next I was gone, leaving nothing behind but a faint shimmer of red in the air.